Man struck and killed by train in Hayward identified

HAYWARD — A man fatally struck by an Amtrak train on tracks in the city on Monday has been identified as Fazel Popal, 43, according to the Alameda County Coroner's Office.

Popal was a transient known to frequent the Hayward area, a spokesman from the coroner's office said Tuesday.

Popal was walking on the tracks just south of Soto Road with a pit bull dog when the collision occurred, said police Sgt. Eric Krimm.

The crash killed both Popal and the dog, according to the Hayward Fire Department.

The southbound Capitol Corridor train No. 523 had left the Hayward station at 7:43 a.m. and hit Popal a short time later, Amtrak public information officer Linsey Ehlin said. None of the 109 passengers on board were injured.

Two other trains scheduled to travel the same route between Hayward and Fremont were diverted to alternate tracks, Ehlin said.